If you’ve noticed an increase in the number of ads showing up in your Facebook feed lately, you’re not alone. There are a few possible reasons why you may be seeing more ads than usual on Facebook.
Facebook is showing more ads overall
The most straightforward explanation is that Facebook has been steadily increasing the number of ads in users’ feeds over time. Here are some key stats on Facebook’s advertising growth:
- In 2012, it was estimated that the average user saw about 2-3 ads per day in their feed.
- By 2014, that number had jumped to around 18 ads per day.
- As of 2020, some estimates put the average number of Facebook ads users see per day at 20-25.
So in less than a decade, the average number of ads per user has increased by over 10x. This gradual increase means you’re simply seeing more ads now because Facebook is showing more ads across the platform.
Your Facebook usage habits have changed
Another potential factor is if your personal Facebook usage has changed recently. The more time you spend in the app, the more ads you’ll encounter. If you’ve been using Facebook more often or for longer periods lately, that naturally exposes you to more ads.
Similarly, what you do in the app affects how many ads you see. Scrolling through your main News Feed or public content exposes you to the most ads compared to checking only your notifications or groups. So if you’ve been browsing Facebook more deeply, your ad count will go up.
Facebook is targeting you with more ads
Facebook collects massive amounts of data about its users for ad targeting purposes. It’s possible Facebook’s ad targeting algorithms have identified you as a person of interest for certain advertisers, leading to an influx of targeted ads.
Some possible reasons Facebook may be targeting you with more ads include:
- You recently updated your Facebook profile information like location, job title, relationship status, etc.
- You’ve been browsing or shopping more on the web for certain products/services.
- You’ve joined new Facebook groups or liked new pages related to topics advertisers are targeting.
- You’ve purchased items or taken actions off Facebook that Facebook is tracking.
The more Facebook knows about you and your interests, the better it can match you with relevant ads. So major life changes or increased online activities can cause a spike in targeted ads.
Facebook ad campaigns are cyclical
Many advertisers run Facebook ad campaigns in cycles. They may advertise heavily for a period of time, pause the campaign, then start again later. Depending on the products/services you’re interested in, you may notice ads ebb and flow over weeks or months as campaigns start and stop.
For example, a business might advertise:
- During holiday shopping periods or for seasonal sales
- Around special events related to their industry
- When they have a new product launching
- When more marketing budget is available
If multiple advertisers you see often follow similar campaign cycles, ads will spike for a period before decreasing again for a short time. These cyclic campaign schedules can create the perception that ads are “all of a sudden” increasing, when it’s due to external marketing factors.
Facebook is prompting inactive advertisers to run more ads
Facebook is very open about wanting businesses to run more and more ads on its platform. Sometimes it will send messages to inactive advertisers encouraging them to increase their ad spend.
Here’s an example of an actual Facebook message sent to businesses who haven’t run ads in a while:
When businesses respond to these prompts and resume advertising, users will see a jump in the number of ads from brands they may recognize but haven’t seen promoted in a while.
You reduced your ad blocking
Ad blockers are commonly used to hide ads on Facebook and other sites. If you had ad blocking enabled before but recently disabled it, that alone can explain a dramatic increase in ads.
Reasons you may have disabled ad blocking include:
- Switching web browsers
- Clearing cookies/cache
- Wanting to see ads from certain brands
- An ad blocker malfunction
Without ad blocking in place, you’re now exposed to all the ads a typical user sees on Facebook.
Facebook ad bugs or tests
Lastly, sometimes a sudden influx of ads can be explained by internal Facebook platform bugs or ad tests. With over 1.2 billion daily users, bugs undoubtedly occur despite Facebook’s best efforts.
Facebook also frequently runs small-scale tests with advertising formats, placements, and audiences. For example, they may briefly show a higher ad density for a small set of accounts to measure results. If you happen to be included in a test group, you’ll notice a temporary increase in ads.
These bugs and small tests are typically identified and fixed quickly. So if you notice a massive spike in ads, it may be the result of a temporary glitch.
What can you do about the increase in Facebook ads?
If you’re looking to reduce the number of ads you see in your Facebook feed, here are a few suggestions:
- Install an ad blocker – This is the simplest option to hide a majority of Facebook ads.
- Adjust your ad preferences – Go into your Facebook Ad Preferences and mark certain interests as “not relevant” to improve ad targeting.
- Limit Facebook time – Spend less time browsing Facebook if you want less ad exposure overall.
- Provide less personal data – Be selective about what profile info you provide and activities you do on Facebook.
- Report bad ads – Use the “Why am I seeing this” menu to provide feedback on irrelevant ads.
While you can’t completely eliminate Facebook ads, taking a few steps can help reduce the volume you have to deal with.
Conclusion
An increase in Facebook ads is often simply due to natural growth in their advertising business over time. But changes in your personal usage, ad targeting, advertiser campaigns, and technical issues can also contribute to seeing more ads recently.
If the uptick in ads is disruptive, using tools like ad blockers or limiting Facebook access may provide some relief. Otherwise adapting to the continual increase in ads is the unfortunate reality of using the platform for free.